In chunks we trust . . . the problem of gender assignment in foreign language learning of French

Aims and Objectives: The study explores the challenges foreign language learners face in gender assignment and agreement within nominal, verbal, or adjective phrases, specifically in comparison to native speakers and bilingual children. It aims to identify where learners struggle with gender assignment and to what extent these difficulties can be explained by their multilingual background. Additionally, it investigates whether integrating models of Universal Grammar and Construction Grammar can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the gender assignment process. Research Questions: The article adresses the following research questions: What are the specific challenges foreign language learners face in gender assignment within nominal, verbal, and adjective phrases, and to what extent can these challenges be explained by their multilingual background? Furthermore, how can insights from Universal Grammar and Construction Grammar be combined to develop a comprehensive explanatory model for these difficulties? Methodology/Approach: The research is based on a corpus of authentic learner productions written by learners of French as a foreign language (L3) with German as the learners’ first language (L1). Data analysis is focusing on processing and production errors related to gender assignment and agreement. Data and Analysis: Learner errors in gender assignment are analysed with regard to their frequency and patterns, considering the learners’ multilingual backgrounds, especially possible transfer effects of their L1. Findings/Conclusions: The findings suggest that learners face significant challenges in extracting and applying morphosyntactic rules for gender assignment. Errors are often linked to difficulties in processing gender noun-constructions as multiword units. Combining insights from Universal Grammar and Construction Grammar indicates that these constructions should be treated as holistic units, which may facilitate their acquisition and processing. Originality: The study bridges two prominent linguistic models—Universal Grammar and Construction Grammar—to offer a novel explanatory framework for understanding gender assignment in foreign language learners. This dual-model approach highlights the potential of treating gender noun-constructions as multiword units in language acquisition. Significance/Implications: The results have important implications for foreign language teaching, particularly in designing input manipulation strategies. Emphasizing the role of multiword units in language processing could enhance learners’ ability to filter morphosyntactic rules from input and improve their gender assignment accuracy.